Shotgun Bead sight replacement
 

Gents, I am looking at replacing the bead sight for my neighbor on an old Stevens model 107B single shot 12 gauge. The issue is that it looks like a 3-56 thread, .125" shank bead will not thread in there. The hole is just a tad too big.

I see that on Brownells, they have a kit that has a 6-48 thread bead sight with the bit, tap and sight all in one. It does not have a diameter of the bead sights that are included, however it comes with a #32 drill bit which if I am not mistaken is just under 1/8". So this product looks good on paper, just wanted to get some feedback from you guys who may know more about this type of operation than myself.

http://www.brownells.com/shotgun-par...px?mc_id=50000

I think they have a correct fit from Midway USA.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/569...125-shank-gold

I assume he is just wanting to refurbish the gun. I kind of like the true glow-type beads for hunting situations.

Yeah, He wants to keep it stock.

I was hoping to find something like that brownells convenience kit that comes with everything so that I could tap it. As the hole has already been drilled out with a larger bit. I tried to insert a 7/64 bit into the hole and it wouldn't fit. So that does tell me that anything that comes with a #32 bit to drill it out with should work.

Am I tracking, or way off?

Duct tape...

If the kit won't work would he be satisfied with the stock bead ground down to the base of the bead and then brazed on? You could use a setscrew (dummy screw) to fill the hole and red loctite it into place, then braze on a ground down original bead if the situation gets dire.

Numrich has the bead in both sizes and colors for $3.50 here: Bead Sight

BB and superglue :D

I believe the correct drill size for 6-48 is #31.

Just going by what brownells sells as a kit.

Being that the hole is already there, I am limited on options. As long as i have to drill out with at least a 7/64 bit ( or 32 / 31 metric) I should be good to go with tapping new threads in there for the new sight.

I used to work as a gunsmith and have drilled and tapped hundreds of these for shotgun beads. I'm surprised they shipped the kit with a #32 drill bit. This is their chart for their sight kits, and as I remembered #31 is the correct size.

SHOTGUN SIGHT KIT "A" CONTAINS: NO. HEAD DIA. SHAFT/THREAD DRILL/TAP SIZE COLOR
1 .067" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 Gold
2 .130" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 Gold
3 .175" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 Gold
4 .175" 6-48 No. 31-6-48 Gold
5 .067" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 White
6 .130" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 White
7 .175" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 White
8 .175" 6-48 No. 31-6-48 White


I think it will be tougher to tap with the smaller hole, #31 = .1200 and #32 = .1160. You might want to use some tapping fluid to lube for tapping the hole with it being smaller than the ones I tapped.

Good luck.

ETA: You will probably need to grind/sand off the bottom of the bead to make it flush with the surface of the bore.

Yeah, thats what someone else was saying.

Never the less, the #32 worked out fine with said tap and bead sight.

Thanks for the info guys.